


Family First, Brothers Included

by lauren2381



Series: Seal Team Week [6]
Category: SEAL Team (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:35:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22291177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lauren2381/pseuds/lauren2381
Summary: “Baby, what’s wrong?” Naima knew that there were times when she could push Ray to talk and times when he needed to be by himself and think, but she couldn’t tell which one this was, it was different that his typical post spin up moods. If he wanted to talk, there was nothing that could keep him from talking, and if he didn’t want to talk chances were that he would go to Jason’s and have a beer until he was ready to talk. The whole sitting silently on the couch was new. And Naima didn’t like the change.
Relationships: Naima Perry/Ray Perry
Series: Seal Team Week [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1599820
Comments: 13
Kudos: 72





	Family First, Brothers Included

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Day Six!

Ray Perry had finally gotten home from what felt like the longest OP in history. Sonny was in an awful mood, Brock and Cerberus had been separated, and naturally Clay had to come down with some tropical virus that made Trent want to pull his hair out. It was a wonder that they had made it all home in one piece and made it through the debriefings without killing each other. 

Now all he wanted was to see his children, hold his wife, and drink a cold beer. 

Stepping quietly through the front door, Ray wasn’t surprised to find the kitchen and playroom empty. It was close to seven, the kids would be either finishing up their baths or drifting off to dreamland, which meant uninterrupted time with Naima. Moving quickly through the kitchen, Ray smiled at the drawing on the fridge. Apparently, Emma had been by to help Naima with the kids and Jameelah had gotten a little overenthusiastic with the glitter, a big no-no when Naima was supervising the crafting. Cracking the seal on his beer, he drifted out to the living room and smiled at his discovery. 

RJ was in the pack and play that Naima set up to keep an eye on him while she worked around the house, tiny snores and sighs melting Ray’s heart. When the baby began to fuss, Ray scooped him out of the pack and play and swayed gently in the living room, hoping that the little man would stay asleep. A screaming infant was not how Ray wanted to end his day, and judging by the wine glass on the table, definitely not how Naima wanted to spend her evening. 

When he finally settled down, Ray took a seat on the couch with RJ still cuddled on his chest and listened. From his spot he could hear Jameelah’s squeals in the bathroom and the warm chuckles from his wife. Jameelah was really getting too big to have baths, but his wife was holding onto to some of the traditions that they held with her, neither of them wanted Jameelah to grow up. Her birthday was coming up and according to Naima, all the little girl wanted was a day with Emma and for her daddy to be home for her birthday. 

The first part was easy enough to arrange. Emma was always happy to spend time with her goddaughter and Jameelah adored any and all time with her. The second part would be harder to arrange. Spin up dates were never guaranteed, and he would do his best to be home, but if the call came… there was no avoiding orders. He had to go. 

Jameelah was getting to an age where she realized that her daddy might not be home for some of the things that she needed him for, and it broke his heart every time he had to say goodbye and miss another recital or another parent teacher conference. Naima was good about explaining to Jameelah why he couldn’t be there, but when the waterworks started, he felt like a piece of shit.

At least he had the little guy, he was always happy to see him even if he wasn’t around all the time. RJ didn’t have a concept of how mommies and daddies were supposed to behave, he just loved unconditionally, just like Ray loved his children. Holding RJ close to his chest, he couldn’t fathom how someone could choose to not love their child, literally a piece of themselves on the Earth in front of them. Looking into his son’s face relaxed in sleep, he could see a younger version of the Kid toddling around Ash Spenser’s feet, not knowing if he was going to get a hug or a smack. 

* * *

The kid never said anything, but he had eyes. Hell, the entirety of Bravo had eyes and some of them didn’t even understand English. Every time that Ray was around the piece of shit, he got the chills, thinking about what his life would have been like if he hadn’t gone to Liberia as a kid. They didn’t know much about what his childhood was like, but even the impression that Ray had gotten from the tiny snippets he had shared made his blood boil. Ash Spenser was revered as a legend in the SEAL community, but every interaction with him shattered the perception that Ray had of him when he was first introduced to the idea of being a SEAl. 

The last time that he had seen Ash Spenser was before the last spin up. Ray was still under the assumption that he was PNG’ed and forbidden from base, but somehow that didn’t stop him from making his way towards restricted areas. The bastard had more connections that God himself and he would use every single one of them to make sure that he got what he wanted, no matter the cost. Ray didn’t think anything of it at the time, sure that the man was going to talk to some Admiral or another, probably trying to figure out what information he could leak next. Everywhere he went, there were whispers of the ‘great’ Ash Spenser on base and it made him sick. If half these men knew what Ash did to his only son, and Ray had doubts that Clay was really his  _ only _ son, they wouldn’t be impressed. They would be disgusted, infuriated, enraged. 

But that wasn’t his story to tell and he wasn’t going to betray his brother. 

Rounding the corner to the briefing room, Ray stopped short in front of his cage. 

What the actual fuck was that bastard doing near his brother?

Straining his ears, Ray hid behind the doorway and listened closely, anger rising in his chest at the sound of Ash’s voice. 

“Come on, Clay. Think about it, you can stop operating, live your life a little bit. I know you want to settle down with that pretty little thing of yours. Tell me this and I’ll cut you a portion, never have to work another day in your life.”

Ray sucked in a deep breath. Ash was off to a bad start if he thought that Clay would disclose any information to him, especially after disrespecting Emma. That wouldn’t win him any favors, not that Clay would share information to begin with, they had learned their lesson.

“First of all, I don’t want to stop operating, I like my job. My brothers are my family and I don’t have any intention of stopping until something takes me out of the game.”

Ray felt his heart beat a little faster hearing Clay defend them so staunchly. Objectively he knew that Clay was just as much of their little brother as they were his big brothers, but it was still nice to hear the words. 

“And second of all, her name is Emma, not my ‘pretty little thing’. We’ll figure that out as it comes, and we certainly don’t need your help to do it.”

That seemed to be the end of the conversation from where Ray was standing, there was some rustling and he was content to wait until Ash huffed down the hallway, but then he heard a grunt. A grunt that knew all too well from eating, breathing, sleeping, and operating within the same space for months on end. The kid was in pain and Ray wasn’t going to let Ash Spenser cause him any more pain, not while he was still breathing. Rounding the corner, Ray sucked in a breath and folded his arms across his chest. “What’s going on here boys?”

“Nothing you need to be concerned about Senior Chief,” Ash replied, still maintaining his grip on Clay. The kid’s face had gone pale and there was a hint of panic in his gaze when he looked at Ray. Whether that was from his father’s presence or the fear that he would be discovered, Ray didn’t know. But what he did know was that Ash needed to beat it, now. 

“Well I’ll be the judge of that. Why don’t you let my brother go and we’ll part ways peacefully? That is if there’s truly nothing to be concerned about?” Ray portrayed the image of the peacemaker, but internally he wanted to rip Ash’s hand off his brother and tear him limb from limb. Maybe Cerberus would have a ‘training accident’ and take a bite out of him for them. He just hoped that she would spit it out so that she didn’t accidentally ingest something toxic. 

The three men stared at each other for a moment until Clay shook off his hand and stalked into the cages. Ray just stood there and waited. What he was waiting for he didn’t know. Was it for Ash to admit that he was a dick? Was it for the bastard to leave him alone? Was it for Ash to throw the first punch so he could justify putting an end to the bastard?

Ray never got that answer, instead he nodded once and followed Clay, content that Ash would one day get what was coming to him. Today just wasn’t the day. “Clay?”

There was no answer and Ray felt his heart beat a little faster in his chest. Walking into his cage, Ray watched his youngest brother struggle to take air into his lungs, hands shaking on top of his thighs. His breath naturally fell in time with Clay’s, in for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four. It was the same square breathing that he had watched him utilize time and time again, but instead of steadying for a shot, he was trying to hold off a panic attack. 

“I’m fine Ray,” he bit out, breath steadying in his chest. 

“Brother, I think you’re the furthest thing from fine right now,” he countered, not liking the way his shoulders shook as he breathed. 

“I’m. Fine.”

Ray stood and watched Clay pull himself together, the mask that he wore while operating slipping firmly into place as he turned to face him. He was far from convinced that the kid was fine, hell he wouldn’t be if he had a run in with his abusive father in a place that was supposed to be safe, he wouldn’t be fine at all. 

But Clay didn’t know that his brothers had already figured out the less than savory parts of his childhood and he was determined to keep it that way. “Sonny’s waiting for me in the truck, I just came back to grab my bag.”

“Painting the town tonight?” Ray couldn’t help but scold a little bit, it wasn’t that they couldn’t go out when they were stateside, he just wasn’t sure that it was a good idea for Clay to go out so soon after his encounter with Ash, the kid was known for  _ overindulging _ when he didn’t want to face whatever was bothering him. 

“Nah we’re going to his place, don’t think I’m up to drinking right now anyways,” Clay grimaced when he stood, and swung the bag over his shoulder. “I’ll see ya tomorrow Ray, tell Naima and the kids I said hello.”

Ray just watched him walk out the door, and when he was sure that the kid wasn’t coming back, he pulled out his  phone and fired off a quick text to their hot-headed cowboy. “Keep an eye on the kid tonight, run in with daddy dearest.”

Unsurprisingly a text message came through before he could even put his phone in his pocket. “Will do brother. Sure I can’t take a swing at him yet?” Chuckling Ray didn’t respond, it was time to see his own family. It had been far too long since he had last seen his wife. 

* * *

Ray was startled out of his thoughts when Naima sat down next to him, rubbing her hand over RJ’s back. He could feel her eyes on him but couldn’t find the words to say what he was feeling. He couldn’t fathom that someone could willingly hurt their child, someone who took an oath and was honor bound to protect,  _ abused _ his son. Logically, he knew that there was evil in the world, hell it was his job to rid the world of that evil, but how do you eradicate a man that you’re supposed to call your brother? He didn’t have an answer, but everything in him was screaming to protect the brother that he had just come to know and love, the brother that he fought Jason tooth and nail for, the brother that had fear in his eyes this afternoon. 

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Naima knew that there were times when she could push Ray to talk and times when he needed to be by himself and think, but she couldn’t tell which one this was, it was different that his typical post spin up moods. If he wanted to talk, there was nothing that could keep him from talking, and if he didn’t want to talk chances were that he would go to Jason’s and have a beer until he was ready to talk. The whole sitting silently on the couch was new. And Naima didn’t like the change. 

“I think Clay was abused as a kid,” Ray muttered, wrapping his arms tighter around his son. 

Well. 

Of all the things that could have come out of her husband’s mouth, that was definitely not what she was expecting. Not that she could really definitively say what she was expecting. Normally, silent Ray was angry over bad intel, or a bad call, or bureaucracy. The worried, talkative Ray came out when the kid was hurt or when Jason was in a funk. Happy Ray came out when the mission was successful and over quickly. But tonight, her husband wasn’t any of that, he was sad.

“Ash came on base today and Naima, I swear I’ve seen the kid in situations that would have scared me shitless that didn’t even make him blink, but the man wraps his hand around his wrist, and he goes white, can’t get a word out, doesn’t make eye contact. The kid was  _ scared _ , Naima.”

Naima was silent for a moment, thinking of her interactions with the man. “Did he tell you that or is this something you suspect?” She’d seen plenty of abused kids in the Emergency Room over the years and Clay fit the pattern, she just didn’t know if Clay was ready to disclose that information to anyone yet. 

“No, he didn’t,” Ray admitted. “But Naima, I’m telling you, I’ve only seen that look on his face one other time and it was when Sonny was stuck in that damn tube. The son of a bitch hit his kid and made it so that he can’t even talk-” he rushed out, wishing that he could explain his hunch better. 

“Ray, I believe you,” Naima interrupted gently, hoping that she could calm Ray down before he woke the baby. A screaming infant wasn’t conducive to any sort of adult conversation. “I just want him to be the one to tell people, it’s his choice baby, who he wants to tell.”

“I’m his brother baby, if he can’t trust me, if he can’t trust Bravo, who can he trust?” Ray said despondently. He wished that he could do something, anything, but there was nothing to do until Clay said the words that they all knew in their hearts. 

“I think he’s starting to let people in, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s told Emma already, she's got that look that Alana used to have when Jason was trying to hide something. You just have to be patient. I’m sure Jason and Trent have their suspicions as well.”

“I know Sonny does, he spoke with me about already, and if Sonny knows something…”

“The others will know soon enough,” Naima intoned, chuckling at the thought of Sonny trying to keep a secret for long. 

The pair fell into an easy silence as they listened to RJ sleep, comforted by the presence of his parents. Ray turned the situation over and over in his head but still came up short. He couldn’t stand around and do nothing while his brother was suffering. “What do I do here baby? I don’t know how to help him.”

Naima thought for a moment. Realistically the only way that Ray could help Clay was if he disclosed and she didn’t think that he was anywhere near ready. “There’s nothing you can do but be there for him when he wants to say something and to just love your kids the way that you wish someone would’ve loved Clay. Make sure that your children don’t know that hurt, Ash Spenser will get what’s coming to him baby, don’t you worry about that one.”

Naima kissed his cheek and tugged gently on his arms. It was far past their bedtime and they had one little girl who would be very pleased to see her daddy tomorrow morning. Watching from the doorway, her heart filled with joy as she watched Ray sway with RJ in his arms before putting him down in his crib. 

Her baby was getting too big for the crib, and really too big to be called her baby any more. Bending over, Naima gave RJ one last kiss goodnight before getting ready for bed. Naima was lucky that her husband was a good man; he was honest and loyal and true. She would never have thought that the man she met all those years ago in Detroit would turn out to be the best decision that she had ever made, but yet here she was lying in a beautiful home filled with two children and a life that she never could have dreamed would come true. 

Naima watched her husband fall asleep and as he slept, she prayed that one day Clay would find it in his heart to let his brothers in, they needed him just as much as he needed them. She just hoped that his heart wouldn’t be destroyed in the process and that he would find it in himself to love. Closing her eyes, Naima took comfort that one day Ash Spenser would get what was coming to him, and if she wasn’t around to watch she hoped that Ray would tell her  _ every  _ single detail. 

Then she wanted to take her crack at the man. 

No one got away with hurting her family. 

Not even a legend. 


End file.
